Pieces
by magnetosdaughter
Summary: Erik&Jean, ErikCharles Jean has become attached to her new family


**Title: **Pieces

**Pairings:** Erik&Jean, hints of Erik&Charles

**Rating:** PG

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything.

**Author's Notes:** X-Men Movieverse. This was written to be an introduction to my MagnetoxPhoenix fanmix. Jean has been staying with Erik and Charles and they have become attached.

xxx

"Jean? What are you doing awake at this hour?" Erik asked with a touch of concern. As she looked up a wide range of feelings flew across her features. Erik was used to these flashes of warring emotions by now. Under Charles' careful tutelage he could see she was improving, though it fell away when she was upset, as apparently she was now. But as he watched the troubled expression she'd had when he'd spoken disappeared and the saucy expression she usually wore when they spoke returned.

"Can we have some hot cocoa?" Erik was surprised at the request but nodded. Jean leapt to her feet and grabbing his hand pulled him to the kitchen. She pushed him into a chair and busied herself making two cups of hot chocolate. Erik watched her flit about the room. She seemed slightly manic but under control. He decided to wait for her to bring up whatever it was she wanted to talk about. When finished with her preparations she placed a mug in front of him and sat down in the seat beside him. Erik continued to wait for a sign she was ready to talk but she simply blew her cocoa. He looked at his own cocoa, Jean had given him the metallic mug.

"Jean?" He said quietly to get her attention. Again her head shot up and a mix of emotions flashed across her face. Again when she looked at him those emotions were hidden behind a girlish smile.

"Did you want marshmallows?"

Erik shook his head and his expression said he wouldn't be waylaid again. "No. I want to know why we're drinking cocoa in the middle of the night." Jean scowled and returned to blowing her cocoa. Erik watched her a moment, then pulled his own mug to his lips with a seeming unconscious use of his power. He took a sip, then set it down and decided to get to the heart of the matter. "You heard?" He asked quietly. She paused a moment then looked up, her eyes telling him all he needed to know.

"You were fighting again." She said. He sighed and took another sip of the cocoa.

"We thought you were asleep."

"I was. You were loud." He raised an eyebrow at her, questioningly. He and Charles had been underground and on the far side of the mansion, he couldn't imagine how they might've awoken her. She met his eyes and frowned, raised a small finger and tapped her head. Erik closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"You didn't know."

"Charles should have." He countered. She looked away.

"It was about me." She spoke so quietly he barely heard her.

"Jean, it was not - "

"It was!" She turned back, her eyes blazing. He started to object but her eyes demanded the truth.

"Among other things." He amended. "It's complicated." She shook her head and turned away but not before he glimpsed the tears in her eyes. "Jean." She refused to look at him so he pulled her chair closer and caught her shoulders. "This is not your fault." He stressed each word.

"You're leaving!" She cried and her cocoa mug blew apart. Erik started to shake his head but again Jean's eyes demanded complete honesty. He hadn't made any decisions but he had been thinking of leaving the mansion. When he thought about it - the constant arguments, the ideological differences, his impatience and Charles' inaction - it was inevitable. As seemed to happen so often Jean was two steps ahead of him. He looked at her and couldn't answer. She stifled a cry, then threw her arms around him. "Take me with you." Erik considered a moment but wherever he ended up it would be no place for a young girl. And Charles, for all his faults, was the better mentor. He pulled her into an embrace.

"You belong here, Jean." He spoke into her hair. "Charles Xavier is a good man, the best I know. Learn from him. And when you're ready..." He set her down in front of him. "I'll come back for you." She smiled through her tears. He stood up and gave her a gentle push to the door. "I'll clean up. You go to bed." She nodded then looked guiltily at the broken mug. Erik smiled conspiratorially. "I won't tell." She grinned and spun away. Erik watched her leave, then collected the pieces of the broken cup in his hands. He had no power over the ceramic just as he had no power over the ache in his heart as he contemplated leaving everyone he loved behind.


End file.
